The Georgian Justice Ministry says that former Interior and Prime Minister of Georgia under the previous state leadership Ivane Merabishvili was transported to a hospital yesterday for medical checks following earlier treatment, which revealed that the life and health of the former top official is not at risk.

The ministry made the statement in response to media speculations that Merabishvili faced health problems in prison.

The Justice Ministry said that Merabishvili, who himself chose the New Hospitals in Tbilisi for medical checks, was returned to prison on the same day.

We have no right to publish the outcomes of the medical check, however, we can say that Merabishvili’s life and health is not at risk,” the ministry wrote.

Merabishvili was transported to hospital on August 15 due to respiratory problems, his lawyers told the media then.

He has been treated in prison since then.

Merabishvili was arrested in May 2013 after the Georgian Dream (GD) coalition defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement in the 2012 parliamentary elections.

Merabishvili was charged with faking documents, misspending budgetary funds and alleged abuse of authority in connection with three different high-profile cases and was sent to prison for five years.